Monday, 27 August 2012

The auction and selling of Jane Austen’s ring (I still ponder over its
final value of GBP 152,450!) made me realise how fine Jane’s taste of exquisite
things was. So I browsed around her letter today and found a letter she wrote
to Cassandra, dated 1 November 1800, exactly 63 years before Eleanor Austen bequeathed
the now-famous ring to Caroline Austen. Here’s the quote, taken from Le Faye’s Jane
Austen’s Letters page 52:

‘Your abuse of our Gowns amuses, but does not discourage me;
I shall take mine to be made up next week, & the more I look at it, the
better it pleases me. – My Cloak came on tuesday,& tho’ I expected a good
deal, the beauty of the lace astonished me. – It is too handsome to be worn,
almost too handsome to be looked at. – The Glass is all safely arrived also,
& gives great satisfaction.’

Now I’m wishing that the cloak Jane talked about here
survived the age... but perhaps it’s a thinking too wishful for the reality.
But I now am certain that Jane was a tad of fashionista herself. Perhaps not as
lavishly as Marianne Dashwood would dress herself up, but certainly, Jane was
not a plain Jane.

Wednesday, 22 August 2012

Sorry it has taken us a while to write this information but a ring belonging to Jane Austen sold for £152,450 at a Sotheby's auction in London on July 10th, this was over five times the predicted price!

An article from the guardian newspaper states "The turquoise and gold ring came to Sotheby's from Austen's family, complete with a note sent by Jane's sister-in-law, Eleanor Austen, in
November 1863, to Jane's niece, Caroline Austen. "My dear Caroline,"
wrote Eleanor. "The enclosed ring once belonged to your Aunt Jane. It
was given to me by your Aunt Cassandra as soon as she knew that I was
engaged to your uncle. I bequeath it to you. God bless you!""

The ring was passed from Jane Austen to sister Cassandra Austen to
sister-in-law Eleanor Austen to niece Caroline Mary Craven Austen to
niece Mary A. Austen-Leigh to her niece, Mary Dorothy Austen-Leigh, then
to her sister, Winifred Jenkyns, who passed it to her descendants.

There has been speculation that the ring was given to her by Tom Lefroy but experts predict that she actually received it from her brother Henry who she was very close to.

Monday, 20 August 2012

Generally mothers want the best for their children and have good intentions. I work with alot of young people who find their mothers a drain and certainly "uncool". With age my perspectives have changed greatly in this regard and although I am not a mother myself allowing me to see the relationship in both directions, I find interactions between parents and their children﻿ fascinating to observe.

Mrs Bennet always makes me chuckle and this large selection of lines taken from early in Pride and Prejudice (chaper 9) does not fail to amuse me. The conversation involves Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley, Elizabeth and her mother primarily. Elizabeth is embarrassed by her mother's bold comments.

There are many types of people walking this earth, each with their own story - variety is the spice of life.

Lizzy," cried her mother, "remember where you are, and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home." "I did not know before," continued Bingley immediately, "that you were a studier of character. It must be an amusing study." "Yes; but intricate characters are the most amusing. They have at least that advantage." "The country," said Darcy, "can in general supply but few subjects for such a study. In a country neighbourhood you move in a very confined and unvarying society." "But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever." "Yes, indeed," cried Mrs. Bennet, offended by his manner of mentioning a country neighbourhood. "I assure you there is quite as much of that going on in the country as in town." Every body was surprised; and Darcy, after looking at her for a moment, turned silently away. Mrs. Bennet, who fancied she had gained a complete victory over him, continued her triumph. "I cannot see that London has any great advantage over the country for my part, except the shops and public places. The country is a vast deal pleasanter, is not it, Mr. Bingley?" "When I am in the country," he replied, "I never wish to leave it; and when I am in town it is pretty much the same. They have each their advantages, and I can be equally happy in either." "Aye—that is because you have the right disposition. But that gentleman," looking at Darcy, "seemed to think the country was nothing at all." "Indeed, Mama, you are mistaken," said Elizabeth, blushing for her mother.

And later ...

"I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love," said Darcy. "Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Every thing nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away." Darcy only smiled, and the general pause which ensued made Elizabeth tremble lest her mother should be exposing herself again.

Sunday, 12 August 2012

In the few minutes of spare time that I can find nowadays, I
work a daily puzzle named "Cryptogram" which uses quotes from famous
and not-so-famous people.Well, finally,
there was one by our own dear Jane, and I simply must share it with you.I found the quote in her letter No. LXXX in
the Brabourne edition, dated Nov. 18,1814 written to her niece, Fanny Knight.To put the quote in context here is the whole
paragraph:

Think of all this, Fanny. Mr. A. has advantages
which do not often meet in one person. His only fault, indeed, seems modesty.
If he were less modest he would be more agreeable, speak louder, and look
impudenter; and is not it a fine character of which modesty is the only defect?
I have no doubt he will get more lively and more like yourselves as he is more
with you; he will catch your ways if he belongs to you. And, as to there being
any objection from his goodness, from the danger of his becoming even evangelical, I cannot admit that. I am by no means convinced that we ought not all to be evangelicals,
and am at least persuaded that they who are so from reason and feeling must be
happiest and safest. Do not be frightened from the connection by your brothers
having most wit -- wisdom is better than
wit, and in the long run will certainly have the laugh on her side; and
don't be frightened by the idea of his acting more strictly up to the precepts
of the New Testament than others.

The cryptogram quote is in bold.I thought I knew what the word 'wit' meant in
the back of my mind, so I looked it up in the dictionary to be sure.However, now I am not at all sure.I'll have to think about it for awhile.Any enlightenment you may wish to send me
will be greatly appreciated.

I especially appreciated her reference to 'evangelicals'
which agrees with my own beliefs.The
bottom line is this: what other gems
might we find in her letters?Did she
never write anything that is not worth reading?Sigh, I leave it for you to determine.

Sunday, 5 August 2012

This week's quote is actually inspired by an old Tom Lefroy quote that I posted about 1.5 years ago, in November 2010. The quote was taken from a letter Tom wrote to Jane Christmas Lefroy, his eldest daughter. At that time, Jane must have been a young girl learning how to write, because such was the nuance of the letter. One particular sentence captured my attention this time, and when I read further, another one also popped up, begging to be written. The funny thing is, the two sets of sentences seem to be at odds with each other. When I looked deeper though, I realised that they were not contradictory. Instead, they were logical.

Hence, here I rewrite the longer version of the letter for our perusal. Page 31-32 of the Memoir of Chief Justice Lefroy (emphasizes are my own):

Limerick, Monday.

MY
DARLING J---, Your letter gave me great pleasure; it was fairly
written, well worded and no mistakes in the spelling; and I hope, by
employing your time regularly between this and the next time I leave
home, you’ll be able to correspond with me on subjects of more
importance. Believe me, my darling girl, there is no progress to be made
in anything without steady and continued application, which, besides
the advantages it brings in the way of improvement, makes labour
pleasant from habit instead of being irksome, as it always is to the
idle and irresolute. A saunterer when young, continues a saunterer
through life.Nothing has always struck me so forcibly to show the value of order, and precision in our works, as observing the regularity and exactness displayed in all the works of God, day and night - summer, winter, autumn, and spring, - the regular and uniform motions of the almost infinite host of heavenly bodies. In the same manner in His kingdom of grace, there is a time and a season for everything. Although a thousand years are in his sight as one day, nothing is permitted to occur a moment before its appointed time. Our blessed Lord's constant observation was, "mine hour is not yet come." How is it possible that we can expect to please God in the neglect of order and the disregard of stated times for different purposes?

If we take a look at the first bold sentence and see the next two bold sentences, they seem to contradict each other. The first one tells us that practice makes perfect, basically. The second one, though, says that everything is only perfect in Its/His/Her time. So why waste time to practice stuffs that we want to happen/achieve, if nothing is ever appearing before its time?

My take here, dear friends, is that in order to receive the best benefit of the long-awaited event, we must prepare the necessities. For instance, I want to make a proposal for my postdoc. I haven't got any funding source that can cater to my needs. But won't it be prudent to just write my umbrella proposal now (and prepare other things like budgeting etc) so that the majority of the proposal is ready when I find the correct donor?

Or, in love... We know that nothing happens before its time. A couple won't meet before their destined time to meet. However, the man and woman can actually 'prepare for the encounter' by being true to themselves, taking care of old issues (and making sure they don't reappear), and be happy - tremendously happy - with one's own presence. Thus, when The Time comes, the man and woman are actually ready for the encounter. Their past is no more, and thus they can clearly see the person in front of them: someone they can rely on to accompany them for the rest of their lives....

Welcome to "Becoming Jane" Fansite!

This site is co-managed by Icha and Rachel with materials from many resources, particularly supplied by Linda, our Associate Librarian, and our co-admin Mariana.

If you have any articles or information about Jane Austen, Tom Lefroy, or Becoming Jane (or even just to say hello), please email Icha and Rachel. As long as the content rhymes with our purpose to promote the movie and fandom, we will post it here happily. Also, please sign the Radovici Petition to reprint Radovici's book on Jane and Tom.

You're welcome to use the findings we have here in online conversations (web-based), but please acknowledge us as the reference.

Thanks, and blessings to you!

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About Jane Austen

Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire.In 1789 she wrote her first novel, Love and Freindship (intentional mis-spell), amongst other very amusing juvenilia. In Dec 1795/Jan 1796, she met Thomas Langlois Lefroy, an Irishman who would often be considered an important part of her life. In 1811, Austen's first novel Sense and Sensibility was published anonymously ('By a Lady'). Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813 and received instant popularity. Despite her romantic novels, the writer herself never married. In early 1816, Austen suffered an illness (either Addison's or Hodgkin's Disease), and on 18 July 1817, she died at the age of forty-one in the arms of her sister, Cassandra, and was buried in Winchester Cathedral.

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Anne Hathaway’s skilful portrayal of Jane Austen in Becoming Jane shows that art can have as much power to bring us closer to the truth as facts themselves can.

Jon Spence, 4 December 2006, Becoming Jane Austen

I could certainly see why Jane would have been attracted to Tom Lefroy if he was anything like this portrayal by James McAvoy!

Sue Hughes, March 2007, Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine

McAvoy knew his portrait of Tom could only come alive with the right Jane, and he found Anne Hathaway almost supernaturally suited for the part. “I don’t think we could have chosen anyone better to play Jane Austen," he says.

Synopsis of 'Becoming Jane'

Jane Austen’s greatest love story was her own

It was at the end of 1795 when the young Jane Austen met the dashing Irish rogue Thomas Langlois Lefroy. Jane would not realise that from prejudice and innuendos between her and Tom, a fresh bud of passion would grow into love that would last for years to come, literally changing her way of looking into life and giving her new insights into her already blooming creative writing. Yet, Tom Lefroy was not a man of wealth, and thus his family needed him to find a more suitable partner than the last daughter of the Austens. Will reality defeat love, or will love triumph in Jane Austen’s life?

James McAvoy as Tom Lefroy, Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine March 2007

Source: the U.S. Official Site

‘I’m yours, Jane, heart and soul!’

~ Tom Lefroy to Jane Austen, ‘Becoming Jane’

Source: www.annie-hathaway.com

Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying without affection – JA, 18 November 1814

Source: BBC UK

Nothing can be compared to the misery of being bound without Love, bound to one, & preferring another – JA, 30 November 1814

Source: www.annie-hathaway.com

There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved...

‘Persuasion’, chapter 8, Jane Austen

If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more ...

Mr. Knightley to Emma in 'Emma', Jane Austen

Source: www.annie-hathaway.com

To be so bent on marriage, to pursue a man merely for the sake of situation – is a sort of thing that shocks me.

Emma Watson, the Watsons, Jane Austen

What value would there be in life if we are not together?

~ Tom Lefroy to Jane Austen, 'Becoming Jane'

Source: Tiscali website

'Irony is the bringing together of contradictory truths to make out of the contradiction a new truth with a laugh or a smile.'

~ Jane Austen, 'Becoming Jane'

Disclaimer

Becoming Jane Fansite is a non-profit site for Becoming Janefans, created to accommodate articles, news, pictures, reviews, fan fictions, comments, etc with regards to the beautifully exclaimed Miramax movie Becoming Jane and anything related to Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy. The site is NOT an official site of 'Becoming Jane' and hence not affiliated with the movie. Yet, we hope that the site helps to immortalise your love and passions to Jane Austen, Tom Lefroy, Becoming Jane, Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julian Jarrold and all crews and casts of the enchanting movie. The administrators reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments/messages.

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The film Becoming Jane has given us an image of Jane Austen that liberates our imagination. I envy readers of my book who come to it with Anne Hathaway’s image of Jane in their mind’s eye. You will not have to struggle against the image Cassandra created to see the Jane Austen who was young and pretty, lively and in love. Anne Hathaway’s skilful portrayal of Jane Austen in Becoming Jane shows that art can have as much power to bring us closer to the truth as facts themselves can.